If you have ever found yourself staring into a piece of art, entirely losing track of time and the buzz of the outside world, you’ve already experienced the exact feeling Perth abstract artist Laura André aims to create.
Working out of her home studio in Western Australia, Laura creates large-scale mixed-media abstract paintings that act as visual adventures. Her work invites viewers to slow down, put down their phones, and get lost in the intricate micro-details hidden within her bold, expressive brushstrokes.
The Origin: From European Inspiration to Backyard Experiments
Laura’s creative roots run deep, heavily shaped by the vibrant textures of the Western Australian coastline. Growing up in Scarborough, she was a whirlwind of expressive energy—balancing soccer, Latin dancing, playing the piano, and studying art at school (including TEE Art). While she jokes that music wasn’t her strongest suit, having such a diverse range of creative outlets early on opened her mind to seeing and thinking in a variety of unique ways.
The true turning point in her artistic journey, however, came during a backpacking trip across Europe. Wandering through galleries, dancing, and soaking in the culture, Laura found herself standing in front of a massive canvas at a Japanese exhibition. The painting was minimalist but profound, dominated by thick, powerful black strokes. Laura stood frozen before it for hours, completely captivated.
In that moment, a spark ignited. She thought to herself, “That is what I’m going to do.”
Returning home to Scarborough, WA, Laura immediately bought a massive canvas, dragged it out into her garden, and began throwing paint at it. Embracing a highly experimental process, she rejected traditional constraints and began using unconventional tools—including garden blowers and rakes—to manipulate the paint and build organic textures.
The Evolution: Adapting to Motherhood
Like many local creatives, Laura balances her artistic pursuits with a full-time career. Over the years, her practice has had to adapt to the changing seasons of life.
When her children were young, finding long stretches of uninterrupted time to set up large canvases and messy paints became nearly impossible. To help her keep hold of her creative outlet, Laura’s husband bought her an iPad. This introduction to digital art allowed her to continue drawing, experimenting with composition, and refining her style during the busy years of early motherhood—a phase that ultimately broadened her artistic toolkit and shaped the prints and framed drawings she offers today.
The Spark: Music, Meditation, and Mental Loads
Today, Laura is back to her preferred medium: large-scale mixed-media on canvas. Her creative process always begins with a single element: music.
Depending on her mood, she selects a playlist that directly influences the rhythm of her work, the palette she chooses, and the direction of her lines. Paired with a warm cup of tea (or occasional glass of Negroni!), the music helps her switch off from the external noise of daily life.
“It’s a time where I get to switch off from everything else,” “I can relax, stop, and reset. It’s my meditation.”
Laura Andre
“It’s a time where I get to switch off from everything else,” Laura says. “I can relax, stop, and reset. It’s my meditation.”
Having recently claimed a spare room in her house as a dedicated studio space, Laura uses either the floor or the wall as her easel. This space provides her with a grounding sanctuary. Because she balances her art with a busy life, having a room where she can pause mid-piece, walk away, and return days later with everything exactly where she left it is vital to maintaining her creative flow.
The Shape of Her Strength
A perfect encapsulation of these themes is her captivating piece, “The Shape of Her Strength.” Born from her exploration of femininity and the modern mental load, this artwork serves as a visual celebration of resilience.
In true Laura fashion, the piece is a masterclass in contrast: bold, powerful sweeps of texture represent the undeniable fortitude women carry, while delicate, intricate micro-details woven throughout the layers hint at the hidden vulnerabilities and complex inner worlds beneath the surface. Influenced heavily by the music playing in her studio at its inception, the painting carries a distinct, rhythmic energy that draws viewers in, inviting them to pause, reflect, and discover their own definitions of strength within the abstract forms.
I see it and know it’s me, it’s chaos, its motherhood, and change, its my body, my emotions my hormones. It’s my style, its me today.
– Laura Andre
Getting Lost in the Details
While Laura’s finished works are undeniably grand and impactful from afar, they are deeply intricate up close. She intentionally weaves micro-details throughout her abstract compositions, creating visual pathways that guide the viewer’s eye on a journey across the canvas.
Currently, her thematic focus is heavily influenced by notions of femininity and the heavy “mental loads” that modern women carry. Her art acts as both an exploration of that weight and an antidote to it.
For Laura, the ultimate reward is connection. She loves nothing more than when someone stands before her work, switches off their internal monologue, and goes on a visual adventure. In a world full of digital distractions, Laura’s abstracts offer a rare, beautiful invitation to simply stand still, find something new in the layers, and get beautifully lost.
Connecting with the Community: Art Clubs and Local Markets
While painting can often be a solitary pursuit, Laura has firmly anchored herself within the local arts community. Believing that collaboration and shared learning are vital to growth, she actively exhibits and connects with fellow creatives through the North Coast Art Club and the Trigg Art Group, prominent northern suburbs groups that fosters local artistic talent.
Beyond the studio and art club walls, Laura is a familiar face in the local handmade scene. Over the years, she has taken her vibrant abstract prints out into the community, showcasing her work at premier local events like the Perth Makers Market at Heathcote and the WA Day Festival in Fremantle. For Laura, these markets are more than just a place to sell her art; they are a vital way to connect directly with fellow West Australians, and share stories. She also uses her art to give back globally, generously donating 10% of her proceeds to the Peace for Paul Foundation, helping vulnerable children in Uganda.
Explore Laura’s Work:
- Website: lauraandreabstracts.com
- Keep an eye out for her original mixed-media canvases, digital abstract prints, and framed original drawings celebrating local WA landscapes like Cottesloe, Watermans Bay, and Trigg Beach.
